Shoe-tempering machine



May 26, 1925. 1,539,802

D. B. HEATH SHOE TEMPERING MACHI NE Filed Aug 12. 1.920

Ii/2762751032" 23M 6- l fy' Patented May 26, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DONALD E. HEATH, or WINTHROP, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO BOSTON ELECTRIC HEATING cone, or WHITMAN, MASSACHUSETTS, A coneonarron or MASSA- SHOE-TEMPERING MACHINE.

Application filed August 12,1920. Serial No.-402,976.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DONALD B. HEATH, a citizen of the United States, and resident of IVinthrop, county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Shoe-Tempering Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My present invention is an improvedshoe tempering machine, designed particularly for the tempering, softening, and moistening of the toe portions of boots and shoes during the process of their manufacture.

Heretofore numerous machines have been designed for the softening of the toe portions of boots and shoes, usually known as toe steaming machines, and the present invention is designed to improve, simplify and perfect this type of machine and to provide an apparatus capable of great speed in operation, supplying a large yolume of tempering heat to the shoe without injuring it. Important features of the present invention consist of the provision of means which will enable the machine to operate during an entire working day without refilling or attention; also means to' protect the shoe upper and in-sole from damage" or injury either from contact with the apparatus or from condensed steam.

Further important advantages consist in simplicity of construction, compactness. ease in assembling and a substantially automatic operation throughout the entire working day of a shoe factory.

Referring to thedrawings illustratinga preferred'embodiment of the invention:

Fig. 1 is a front view of my improved apparatus;

Fig. 2 a fragmentary side view lllustrating a shoe in position;

Fig. 3 is" a diagrammaticview showing a supply tank and a plurality of toe steamer apparatus Fig. 4 is a detail of the lower ring.

One of the advantages of the present inve'ntion'consists in' the factthat', owing to the speed of operation, it is only necessary to provide an apparatus capable of holding one shoe at at time, whereas heretofore ithas been customary to provide toe'steamin'g machines of a slze s'utfieient to-take a pair of shoes. In .my present "apparatus I find that an operator While positioningone shoe in the machine and reaching for another to replace it, will require just about the requisite amount of time to allow the shoe to be completely tempered and the toe softened. Therefore, I am enabled to make the present apparatus of small form and compact size suitable for holding only one shoe at a time. It will be understood,'ho'wever, that it is within the scope of myinvention to provide an apparatus Suitable for holding a pair of shoes or greater plurality, if desired.

In the present drawings Iillustrate an electrical heating apparatus, preferably equipped with a three-way switch, so that the supply of tempering heat and moisture may be controlled thereby. It is, however, within the scope of the invention to utilize any heating element, such as steam, gas, electricity or any Suitable liquid or gaseous burner to heat water and create steam for the tempering action of the apparatus.

As shown in the drawings, my apparatus may be applied to a bench 'or'stand, being here shown. as supported on a stand comprising members 2 and 3, the apparatus it'- Self includinga tank 1, preferably circular in form. This tank is intended to hold "a supply of water sutiicientfora d'a'ys use of themachine'and isfo'rme'd as an annular tank adapted to enclose the lower portion of an innertank 5, the latterbeing'in "the form of a cylinder and ofless outer diameter than the-inner diameter of the supply tank 1. The space between these outer and inner tanks 1 and 5-, as" indicated in dotted lines at 6, is for the purpose of allowing a' supply of air to circulate through the annular passage 6 and thereby keep "the outer supply tank 1 relatively co'ol. A perforated plate 7 preferably closes the top of this annular opening 6. The inn'e'r't'ank 5 I form as a cylinder extending entirely through the supply tank '1, being attached thereto by a perforated plate 8"sim'ilar to the plate 7. Atthe botto'mportionof 'the tank 1 and secured also to the pl'ate 8 and opening into the cylinder 5 is the heating portion 10 of the apparatus. A isupply pipe 12 from the tank 'lto the he t-ingportion 1 0 of the inner tank 5 is providedtoermit the supply of liquid iromthe'out'er tank 1 to flow into the inner tank, an approximate water level being indicated at 14. Within the portion 10 is provided a heating coil shown at 15, which in this referred embodiment is an electrical heatmg coil leading through a suitable outlet 16 and conduit 17 to a three-way switch 18 and thence to any suitable source of electrical supply.

At. the upper part of the cylinder 5 is a cap 20 fitted as indicated at 21 by a connecting band, said cap being in the form of a truncated cone with the topmost portion 22 of less diameter than the base. An opening 23 is, formed at the front of the cap 20 of suitable size to permit the toe portion of a shoe 25 to be inserted therein for the. toe steaming operation. Around the upper portion of the cap 20 I form a protected gutter 26 which extends acrosstlie opening 23 and will act to catch any condensed steam escaping out of the open top of the cap 20 and preventsuch condensed steam from getting on the in-sole or upper of the shoe, the moisture caught by the gutter 26 being allowed to escape at the back of the apparatus at 29, Fig. 2. v

To support the shoe 25 I provide a pair of-wire holders 30, 30 secured to the cap 20 and of suitable form and contour as clearly illustrated in the drawings. A filling plug 31 is provided for the outer reservoir of tank 1 and a flotation gauge 33 may be also fitted within the plug 31 to indicate the level of water within the tanks.

The operation of my improved toe tempering apparatus will be readily understood. Water being supplied to the tank 1 and the switch 18 turned to supply heat either high or low, as desired, steam will be generated within the inner tank or cylinder 5 and will flow upward therethrough, being slightly'retarded at the upper portion by the truncated cone form of the cap 20.. The heating of the inner receptaclewill create a cooling draft of air upwardly through the recess 6 which thus acts to both conserve the heat in the steam generating portion 5 and to keep the liquid supply in the tank 1 relatively cool while still warming the same sufliciently for a quicker steaming action as the water flows through the supply pipe -12. This cooling draft of air through the recess 6 is necessary in order to temper the livesteam passing upwardly through the tank 5. Were it not for this slight tempering of the steamin the tank 5, the steam would burn the leather of the shoe, even in the short space of time the shoe is submitted thereto. It has been found, however, that this slight tempering due to the cooling draft through the recess 6, tempers the steam just enough so that it will not burn the shoes. The operator with arack of shoes adjacent to the apparatus will take a shoe 25, which is usu ally in the lasting stage, fit the same on the supports 30 with the toe portion projecting within the cap. 20. The tempering and softening operation is performed so quickly in this apparatus that while the operator is reaching or a second shoe from the rack, the shoe first placed is ready for removal and this operation is repeated. A control of the heat and consequently of the speed of the tempering operation, as well as the supply of steam, is secured through the simple actuation of the electric switch 18.

The entire apparatus can be made of sheet metal, the cap 20 and stand can be readily removed for transportation and quickly assembled. A steam pipe can besubstituted for the heating coil 15 or a gas or, other burner employed.

Although I prefer to manufacture my apparatus as a unitary plant, viz, with the tank, heater, steaming device and shoe...

of suitable size, is located at any desired point and a plurality of heating, steaming and shoe holding apparatus are indicated at 41, 43 and 45, united to the supply tank 40.

by conduits 42, 44, and 46 respectively, suitable valves 50, 50 and 50, being supplied to turn on or off the supply of liquid to each apparatus. This arrangement conserves space to a considerable degree and simplifies the filling of the heating and steaming tank 5 of each apparatus-the apparatus designated at 41, 43 and 45 being preferably identical with that already described, only omitting the outer tank 1 and the air insulating space as shown at 6.- In the form illustrated in Fig. 3, the main tank 40 is, of course, spaced from the heating tanks, and therefore air-insulated therefrom.

My invention is further described and defined in the form .of claims as follows:

1. Apparatus of the kind described comprising a supply tank of annular form, a steam generating tank of less diameter than the inner diameter of the supply tank and extending through said outer tank, heating means for the inner tank, shoe supporting means for holding the toe portion of a shoe within the path of steam of the innertank and means to protect the shoe upper from condensed steam. i

2. Apparatus of the kind described com- In this form of the inr prising an annular supply tank adapted to contain liquid, an inner steam generating tank located in the axis of the supply tank, said generating tank being oi less diameter than the inner diameter of the supply tank, whereby an annular passage is formed between the two tanks and through which air may circulate and a cap for the inner tank having shoe supporting means and an opening to permit the shoe supported thereby to project into the path of steam, together with a source of heat supply.

Apparatus o1 the kind described comprising an annular supply tank adapted to contain liquid, an inner steam generating tank located in the axis of the supply tank, said generating tank being of less diameter than the inner diameter of the supply tank, whereby an annular passage is formed between the two tanks and through which air may circulate, and a removable cap for the inner tank, said cap being in the form of a truncated cone and having a guard to protect the upper from condensed steam from the steam generating tank; shoe supporting means and an opening to permit the shoe supported thereby to project into the path of steam, together with a source of heat supply.

4:. A shoe-steaming machine comprising a steaming-chamber, one of the walls of which is provided with shoe toe apertures, in combination with a shell disposed vertically relatively to and within the chamber, the shell being adapted to contain water and having a steam outlet into the chamber, and means including an electric heating-unit located within the shell for converting water in the shell into steam.

5. A shoe-steaming machine comprising, in combination, a steaming-chamber, one of the walls of which is provided with shoetoe apertures, a tank adapted to contain water arranged adjacent the chamber, a shell located within the chamber, the shell having water-communication with the tank, and a steam outlet into the chamber, and means ineluding an electric heating unit located within the shell for converting water in the shell into steam.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

DONALD B. HEATH. 

